Narrative Writing

Comments (0)

Transcript of Narrative Writing

Narrative Writing n.1. A narrated account; a story.2. The art, technique, or process of narrating.adj.1. Consisting of or characterized by the telling of a story: narrative poetry.2. Of or relating to narration: narrative skill. What is a Narrative?

It is a piece of writing that recreates an experience through time.

It often reveals the writer’s own personality, or suggests meaningful conclusions on life.

It can be based on one of the writer’s experiences, either past or present, or it can be based on the experiences of someone else.

It is written from a particular point of view, usually first person (“I”)

It relies on precise sensory detail and figurative language to tell the point Narratives as a Short Story

Narratives as a short story, such as Of Mice and Men, should include all elements of plot:CharactersSettingClimaxConflictRising ActionFalling ActionResolution Narratives as an Essay

A "narrative essay," such as Salvation, by Langston Hughes, uses a personal experience to tell a story written in essay form Narrative writing sometimes includes the different types of writing!

ExpositoryWhen the writer explains a sequence of events and provides any necessary background information so that the reader can clearly follow the story

DescriptiveUses description, figurative language and sensory details to help the reader visualize the moment or story

PersuasiveThe writer’s purpose may be to use the story or experience to express the writer’s perspective or make a point about a topic A narrative can be about anything significant that has happened to you in your life, such as:

- A time when you were seriously unprepared for something important- A vivid childhood event- A time when you achieved a personal goal- A time when you changed places in your life- A time when you didn't follow the crowd and stood up for something you believed in "Salvation"By Langston Huges

"I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this. There was a big revival at my Auntie Reed's church. Every night for weeks there had been much preaching, singing, praying, and shouting, and some very hardened sinners had been brought to Christ, and the membership of the church had grown by leaps and bounds. Then just before the revival ended, they held a special meeting for children, "to bring the young lambs to the fold." My aunt spoke of it for days ahead. That night I was escorted to the front row and placed on the mourners' bench with all the other young sinners, who had not yet been brought to Jesus.

My aunt told me that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on! She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul. I believed her. I had heard a great many old people say the same thing and it seemed to me they ought to know. So I sat there calmly in the hot, crowded church, waiting for Jesus to come to me.

The preacher preached a wonderful rhythmical sermon, all moans and shouts and lonely cries and dire pictures of hell, and then he sang a song about the ninety and nine safe in the fold, but one little lamb was left out in the cold. Then he said: "Won't you come? Won't you come to Jesus? Young lambs, won't you come?" And he held out his arms to all us young sinners there on the mourners' bench. And the little girls cried. And some of them jumped up and went to Jesus right away. But most of us just sat there..."

Assignement: Finish "Salvation" using the copy that was passed out at the beginning of class Mr. CambrasEnglish 9September 2010Narrative Essay (50 points)

Assignment: Write a three or four paragraph narrative essay using on of the writing prompts below

Being Unprepared Everyone going to school has been in this situation. Think of a specific test that you took that you felt unprepared for and narrate the events. Tell your readers about the preparation that you were able to do, the reasons that you didn't get to prepare as well as you wanted, taking the test, and any significant events that happened after you took the test.

Childhood Event Choose a vivid time from your childhood -- You might think of the first time that you rode a school bus, of a time when you went to the principal's office, the first “A” you earned on a test or paper, earning money to buy something that you really wanted, a team you played on, etc. Narrate the events related to the childhood memory that you've chosen so that your readers will understand why the event was important and memorable.

The Good and the Bad Think about an event in your life that seemed bad but turned out to be good. What makes the event change from bad to good may be something that you learned as a result, something that you did differently as a result, or something that happened that wouldn't have occurred otherwise. Tell the story of the event that you experienced and help your readers understand how an event that seemed negative turned out to have valuable consequences.

Achieving a Goal Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Tell your readers about the story of how you met your goal. Be sure that your readers understand why the goal is important to you.

Essay Format: 3-4 paragraphsPaper: Type your paragraph on a computer and print it out on white 8.5 x 11-inch paperFont: Times New Roman Font size: 12-point font Margins: 1-inch Spacing: Double-spaced Printer ink color: Black. No artwork, graphics, or colored ink should be used unless specifically requested by your teacher. Heading: MLA heading Spelling: Document should be proof-read in addition to spell-checkedFormat: All documents should be in MS Word